His Holiness condemns spread of ‘rampant misinformation’ in society and urges Muslim youth to navigate social media with caution

“Falsehood is a poison that seeps into the heart of mankind and tears apart bonds of trust and unity in society” – Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

On 22 September 2024, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad delivered a faith-inspiring address to conclude the National Ijtema (Annual Gathering) of Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya UK, the auxiliary organisation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for young men and boys.

The 3-day event which was held at Old Park Farm in Kingsley was attended by more than 7,540 young men and boys and served to inspire the attendees towards practicing their faith with devotion.

During his address, His Holiness spoke of several vices Ahmadi Muslim youth must seek to avoid, chief amongst them being the sin of falsehood.

Commencing his address, His Holiness mentioned the importance of seeking to fulfil the objectives of Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya which was founded in 1938 by the second Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community “with the aspiration that all Ahmadi youth and boys would excel in the observance of their faith, consistently improve their moral standards, elevate their worship of Allah and forge an ever-stronger connection with Him.”

Summarising the objectives in a sentence, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“In essence, Khuddamul Ahmadiyya was formed as a means for Ahmadi Muslim youth, collectively, to live their lives according to the teachings of Islam.”

Thus, His Holiness said, Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya is not merely a platform for people to gather together, rather it has far more noble objectives.

His Holiness said that in line with the words of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), that one should like for others what he likes for himself, Ahmadi Muslim youth should, “through love and rationality, invite others towards God and fulfilling the rights of His Creation.”

Speaking of the challenges facing Ahmadi Muslim youth, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“In this age, we are not only witnessing a rapid decline in the worship of God and a growing apathy towards religion but also a chilling indifference to the suffering of God’s Creation.  Where help is extended to those in need, it is often driven by ulterior motives and a desire to fulfil vested interests under the guise of humanity. Help is often conditional and compassion is a commodity bartered for political and economic gain. As a result, an ever-rising chorus of voices are now openly denouncing the major powers and worldly institutions to be guilty of glaring double standards.”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued and said:

“In contrast to these prevailing trends of materialism, hypocrisy and selfishness, we, as Ahmadi Muslims, must rise as beacons of sincerity, unwavering faith and selfless service to all humanity. Free from all forms of discrimination and self-interest, we must endeavour to bring people towards those noble objectives that define our true purpose.”

His Holiness said that every Ahmadi Muslim must strive to free themselves from anything that displeases God, including the vice of thinking ill of others.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Indeed, harbouring grudges or casting aspersions on others is a sure way to fuel division and disorder within homes, social circles, the wider society, and between nations. Thus, I remind the younger Khuddam or older Atfal, who are still navigating their pathway in life, to avoid needlessly forming negative opinions about others. Instead, maintain a positive outlook and think good of people, unless clear and compelling evidence emerges to the contrary.”

Speaking about falsehood, the “chief amongst all evils,” Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Falsehood is a poison that seeps into the heart of mankind and tears apart bonds of trust and unity in society.”

His Holiness said that in modern times, falsehood has become common and a manifestation of that is visible on social media.

“Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that we live in an age of rampant misinformation. People share or forward messages, either deliberately or ignorantly, irrespective of whether what is stated or depicted is true. The consequences of such deception lie far beyond the comprehension of many young people. Lies and false propaganda are being spread across towns, cities, and nations in the blink of an eye, igniting tensions and conflict between communities. Social media platforms, which proudly claim to bring people together, are actually driving them further apart.”

As an example, His Holiness mentioned that a few weeks earlier, riots erupted in UK cities after social media posts falsely claimed that a Muslim immigrant was responsible for the tragic killings of children in Southport. Though the story was fabricated, it spread quickly, leading to malicious targeting of immigrants, especially Muslims.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Every Khadim should always pause and reflect before commenting or sharing any message. Before pressing the ‘send’ button, carefully determine if what you are sharing is accurate and beneficial for others. Do not forward a message or comment on a post if there is even a hint of deception or if you are unsure of its truth.”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued and said:

“No matter what, an Ahmadi Muslim should never take refuge in falsehood. Aside from social media, people often lie to save themselves from the anger or judgement of their parents, teachers, or work superiors.” 

Speaking about those who turn to falsehood, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Such people do not realise that lying is a sin of immense magnitude. Indeed, if a person believes in God, he can only shudder at the very thought of the consequences of falsehood given that Allah the Almighty has deemed it to be the equivalent of Shirk – that is associating partners with Him.”  

Referring to a saying of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), His Holiness said that falsehood is a mark of a hypocrite and thus, “no Ahmadi Muslim man, woman or child should ever tolerate the thought of being classed amongst the idolaters or hypocrites.” 

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: 

“There should not even be a hint of deception in our words or deeds. Rather, others should testify that Ahmadi Muslim youth speak truth, live truth and embody truth at all times… One day, we must all depart this world and so we must spend whatever time we have engaged in those acts that are pleasing to Allah the Almighty and abide by the perfect teaching He has bestowed to us through the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).”

His Holiness said that in order for the correct upbringing of children, Ahmadi Muslim parents must avoid all forms of falsehood at home, even so-called ‘harmless’ jokes and should always keep their promises to them.

Further elaborating upon the importance of truthfulness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“On one occasion, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) states: “In reality, until a person abandons falsehood, he cannot become pure. Worthless worldly people believe that they cannot survive without lies. However, this is a reprehensible belief.” Here, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) condemns and utterly rejects the belief that a person must engage in falsehood to succeed.”

His Holiness said falsehood leads a person towards departing from the “protection and mercy of God Almighty.”

His Holiness said that a companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was instructed to pledge never to lie again if he wished to rid himself of other vices.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Consequently, if we instil a fidelity to the truth within ourselves, other virtues and qualities will automatically develop in us and become part of our daily lives.”

Urging Ahmadi Muslim youth to never forego the truth, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“Indeed, Ahmadi youth and children should, as individuals and collectively, launch a campaign and movement to uphold truthfulness and honesty. Reject falsehood and embrace truth. May it be that all people testify to the fact that Ahmadi Muslim youth are those who never utter a false word.”

As the address concluded, His Holiness spoke of the crucial importance of obedience to Khilafat.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“In your pledge, you have all vowed to abide by and fully obey any “ma’roof” decisions made by Khalifa of the time. What is a ma’roof decision? Simply, it is to convey the commands of Allah the Almighty and His Noble Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) because the Khalifa of the time will never give any instruction or statement contrary to the commands of Allah the Almighty or the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Accordingly, you must continually assess if you are living up to your pledge of obedience.”

His Holiness said that time and again, as the Khalifa, he emphasises the importance of observing the five daily prayers with “concentration and humility, at the appointed times.”

And so, as part of their efforts to fulfil their pledge of obedience to Khilafat, Ahmadi Muslims must pay even greater attention towards this and seek to overcome any weakness in this regard. 

His Holiness concluded his address and again spoke about the importance of always sticking to the truth and said:

“Always remember that a community or nation whose members manifest truth and integrity is destined for great success. Hence, if members of Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya and Atfalul Ahmadiyya hold fast to the truth, there is no doubt that a great and everlasting spiritual victory is destined for us.”